Guiding means for press platens



June 15, 1943. P. E. FLOWERS 2,321,741

GUIDING MEANS FOR PRESS PLATENS Filed April 12. 1941 FIG-- 2 a Y 6 mmPAUL E. FLQVV ERS Y mam Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE GUIDING MEANS FOR PRESS PLATENS Paul E. Flowers, Mount Gilead,Ohio, assignor to The Hydraulic Development Corporation, Inc.,Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application April 12, 1941,Serial No. 388,213

7 Claims.

This invention relates to presses and, in particular, to means forguiding the platen of a press during its reciprocating movements.

It is customary to provide a presswith a head and a bed interconnectedby strain rods and spaced from each other by spacing members on whichthe press platen is guided by means of gibs respectively secured to thecorners of the platen.

In order to provide a large bearing surface, the working corner ofeach'gib and the adjacent edge of the spacing member are chamfered,usually at 45 degrees, so that the diagonally cut surface of the gib isadapted to slide over the abutting diagonal surface of the adjacentspacing member.

The gibs are usually bolted to each side of the platen and, therefore,form a U-shaped recess along two opposite edges of the platen whichembrace the projecting U-shaped portions of the spacing members.

The platen and the gibs secured thereto reciprocate continuously duringthe operation of the press, and the wear between the working surface ofeach gib and the adjacent spacing member is usually taken up byadjusting a combined positioning and locking screw arrangement. Thepositioning screw properly spaces the gib and platen from the guidingsurface of the adjacent spacing member, while the locking screw locksthe structure in the adjusted position. i

' This arrangement which has been highly satisfactory, however, requiredrelatively heavy adjusting and locking screws, particularly for heavypresses, in order to be able to take up the relatively high shear andbending stresses exerted upon the adjusting and locking screws.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improvedstructure which will allow accurate adjustment of the gibs, while .bringing about a reduction in the shear and bending stresses exerted upon thestructure.

It is another object of the invention to provide improved means forconnecting the guiding gibs to the press platen and maintaining theguiding surfaces in proper contact along the corresponding guidingsurfaces on the press frame.

Still another object consists in the provision of an improved structurecomprising adjusting is preferably accessible from the outside of thepress for adjustably supporting the gibs to reduce the and bendingstresses exerted upon the SCUVVS connecting the to the platen.

These and other objects and advantagesof the invention will appear moreclearly from. the following specification in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents an elevational View of a hydraulic press providedwith the improved ib securing means according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section along the line 2-2 ofFigure 1. 1 a

' Figures 3 to 5 illustrate varioussteps in assembling the structureaccording to theinvention.

Referring to thedrawing, the reference numeral .l designates the head ofthe press connected with the press, bed 2 by means of strain rods (notshown) passing through the spacing members 3- and connecting the presshead and press bed by means of nuts 4. The head I carries any suitableform of hydraulic cylinder (not shown) in which is reciprocably mounteda ram 5 operable by pressure fluid supplied to said cylinder by anyconvenient fluid pressure source. Connected to the lower end of theram-Eisthe press platen t, which slides upwardly andadownwardly betweenthe spacing members 3 on the guiding surfaces 1 thereof, and on itsdownward or working stroke contacts with a die 8, which is secured tothe bed'o-f the press by means of bolts During the operation, a sheet ofmetal is placed on the die member 8 and subjected to pressure by theplaten 6, which either forms or cuts the metal to any desired shapedepending on the configuration of the press platen. The downward andupward'movements of the platen 6 are controlled either automatically byan automatic control of the supply of fluid tojthe hydraulic cylinder inthe press head or may be controlled by the operator of the press. Inorder 'toenable accurate shaping or cutting operation of the press, theplaten is to be properly guided on the spacing members3. To this end theguiding surfaces 1 on the spacing members 3 are beveled or chamfered atapproximately 45 degrees, as shown in Figures 2-to 5. The platen 6 has arecess at each corner portion thereof for receiving a gib iii, which isbolted to theplaten. The gibs are usually made of case-hardened steeland are of rectangular configuration with a beveled surfacecorresponding to the guiding surfaces I on the spacing members 3.

The bolts '22, by means of which the gibs are secured to the platen 6,are shown more clearly in Figure 2. As will be seen therefrom, the gibis provided with a largecountersunk opening I l "which terminates in athreaded portion of smaller diameter as indicated at I2. This openingreceives a large screw member, generally designated I3, having a roundhead M with a shoulder I5 and terminates in a threaded portion I6, whichnormally rests against the flat surface I! of the recess I8 in theplaten 6. The head of the screw is provided with a hexagonal opening H!to allow insertion of a key or wrench for adjustment of the screw memberI3.

The screw member l3 has an opening 20 therethrough for receiving theshank 2| of a screw generally designated 22, the head of which is ofslightly smaller diameter than the distance between the opposite fiatsurfaces of the hexagonal opening l9 in the screw member I3. The head 23of the smaller screw 22 is also preferably provided with a countersunkopening 24 of hexagonal configuration likewise for receiving a key orwrench to allow adjustment thereof.

As will be noted from Figure 2, the axes of the screws I3 and 22coincide, and the position of these aXes with respect to the gib and theplaten and the distance between these axes and the innor edge of theplaten 6 are such as to leave a small space indicated'at 25 between thegib I9 and the side 26 of the recess I8. It will furthermore be notedthat the screw I3 has been tightened and, therefore, bearsagainst thesurface I! of the platen, leaving a space between the surface I I andthe adjacent surface 21 of the gib.

To prevent forces exerted during the pressing operation from bending thescrews 22 or to shear the screws 22 along the surface II, it was,heretofore, necessary to provide screws of corresponding dimensions.According to the present invention the press platen' 6 is provided,opposite each screw 22, with one or more threaded bores 28, in which isadjustably mounted a supporting screw 29 provided with a slot 3!] toallow adjustment thereof, while a locking screw 3|, similar to thesupporting screw 29, is provided for locking the supporting screw 29 inits desired position.

As will be seen from Figure 1 of the drawing, the plane passing throughthe axes of two adjacent supportfng screws 29also passes through theaxis of the adjacent screw 22. Consequently, any bending forces exertedby the gib I0 0n the screw 22 supporting the latter will immediately betaken up by the supporting screw 29, instead of, as heretofore, actingon the screw 22. Therefore, smaller screws 22 may be used for connectingthe gibs to the platen, while simultaneously the wear of the gibs ismaterially reduced, due to the fact that the supporting screws 29 tendto continuously hold the guiding surfaces of the gibs ID in propercontact with the corresponding guiding surfaces of the spacing members3.

The assembly and adjustment of the improved structure according'to theinvention may be carried out'as follows:

Refer-ring to Figure 3, the screws I3 are first inserted into thethreaded portion I2 of the gibs If], whereupon the gibs I0 are insertedintothe recess I8 of the platen 6. Then the screws 22 are passed throughthe screws l3 and threaded into the corresponding portion 'of the platen6. The gibs I9 are thereupon properly positioned by rotation of thescrews I3 so that the guiding surfaces of the gibs ID are in properengagement with corresponding guiding surfaces of the spacing membersil. -When the gibs I!) are so adju'sted, the screw 22, the head of whichwas previously spaced from the shoulder 32 of the screw I3, is tightenedso that its head abuts the shoulder 32, thereby locking the positioningscrew [3 in its adjusted position. The required spacing between thesurface 21 of the gib I 0 and the surface ll of the platen 6 is usuallydetermined by the amount of friction exercised at the guiding surface 1.

After the adjustment just described has been completed, the supportingscrews 29 are inserted and adjusted so as to abut the surface 33 of thegibs I0. After proper adjustment of the supporting screws 29, thelocking screws SI are inserted into the bores 28 and tightened so as toabut the supporting screws 29. As will be seen from the above, forcesdirected transverse to the longitudinal axes of the screws I3 and 22will now be taken up by the supporting screws 29, thereby preventingshearing and bending stresses on the screws 29.

While the combined adjusting and locking screw structure may be arrangedas units in a single vertical line extending down the middle of each gibIfiyit is preferable to stagger these structures over the entire widthas well as over the entire length of each gib. Due to the fact that thescrew l3 serves as a spacing member and bears against the platen, anyone of these screws can also constitute a fulcrum about which the gibcan be swung depending on the relative positions of the remaining screwsI3. Consequently, the beveled edge of the gib is adapted to be swungoutwardly and inwardly due to the fulcrum effects of any line of boltsin order to introduce still further variations of adjustment and greateraccuracy in the sliding fit between the gib and the spacing member, asis shown, for instance, in Figure 5. However, independent of theposition of the gib ID, the supporting screws 29 can be adjusted so asto properly take up the forces in the gib acting transverse to thelongitudinal axes of the screws [3 and 22.

With reference to Figure 5, it will for instance, be seen that the innersupporting screw 29 slightly protrudes beyond the endof the outersupporting screw 29 to effect the proper support of the gib.

The structure according to the invention, therefore, permits anextremely fine and gradual adjustment so that the same pressure may bebrought to bear throughout the entire beveled guiding surfaces of thegibs which contact the corresponding guiding surfaces of the spacingmembers so that the guiding effect of thegibs is exercised not onlyequally by all of the spacing members, but also equally throughout eachbeveled surface of each spacing member.

It Will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my inventionsuch modifications as come within the scope of the claims and theinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim a new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a reciprocatory element and a guiding gib therefor,guiding means for slidable engagement with said gib, combined locatingand locking means for locating said gib and locking the same to saidreciprocatory element without impeding relative sliding movement betweensaid gib and said guiding means, and supporting means independent ofsaid combined locating and locking means and adjustably mounted in saidelement at an angle to said combined 10- cating and locking means andabutting said gib for taking up bending and shearing forces exerted uponsaid locating and locking means.

2. In combination, a reciprocatory element and a guiding gib therefor,guiding means for guiding said gib, a locating screw associated Withsaid reciprocable element for locating said gib with regard to saidguiding means and said element, a bolt passing through said gib andthreadedly engaging said element for connecting said gib thereto afterit has been properly located, and a supporting member independent ofsaid 10- cating screw and adjustably mounted in said element forabutment with said gib to take up bending and shearing forces exertedupon said bolt and said locating screw, the line of action of saidsupporting member being at an angle to the line of action of said bolt.

3. In combination, the platen of a press and a guiding gib, said gibcomprising a beveled plate adapted to engage a beveled guideway on thepress, a screw structure passing through said gib and engaging saidplaten for adjustably spacing said gib from and connecting the same tosaid platen, and screw means supported by said platen and abutting saidgib to take up forces acting transverse to the longitudinal axis of saidscrew structure during relative movement of said gibs and said guideway.

4. In combination, the platen of a press and a guiding gib therefor witha beveled surface adapted to engage a correspondingly shaped guidingsurface on the press, a bolt passing through said gib and beingadjustably mounted in said platen for connecting said gib theretoWithout preventing movement of said gibs relative to said guidingsurface, a locating member surrounding said bolt for locating said gibrelative to said platen, and an adjustable member mounted in said platenand having its longitudinal axis arranged at an angle to that of saidbolt, said member being adapted to abut said gib for taking up bendingstresses exerted on said bolt.

5. In combination, the platen of a press and a guiding gib thereforhaving a guiding surface adapted to engage a correspondingly shapedguiding surface on the press, a bolt passing through said gib andthreadedly engaging said platen for connecting the gib thereto, withoutpreventing movement of said gib relative to said guiding surface on saidpress, an adjusting screw associated with said bolt for locating saidgib with respect to said platen, and a supporting screw independent ofsaid adjusting screw and adjustably mounted in said platen for abuttingsaid gib to take up bending and shearing forces exerted upon said bolt,the longitudinal axes of said supporting screw being located in a planepassing through the longitudinal axis of said bolt.

6. In combination, the platen of a press and a guiding gib thereforcomprising a beveled plate adapted to engage a beveled guideway on thepress, a plurality of combined spacing and locking members arranged instaggered relation over the length and width of said plate and engagingsaid platen for spacing said gib from and connectingthe same to saidplaten, a plurality of pairs of supporting screws adjustably mounted insaid platen and abutting said gib, each of said pairs of screws havingthe plane through the longitudinal axes of said screws passing throughthe longitudinal axis of one of said combined spacing and lockingmembers, and means for locking said supporting screws in their adjustedpositions.

7. In combination, a reciprocatory element and a guiding gib thereforarranged in a rectangularly shaped recess in said element, said gibhaving a beveled guiding surface and also being provided with two flatsurfaces substantially rectangular to each other and facingcorrespondingly shaped surfaces in said recess, guiding means forslidable engagement with said beveled guiding surface of said gib, oneof said flat surfaces being located opposite said beveled surface, whilethe second of said flat surfaces interconnects the first mentioned flatsurface with said beveled surface, combined spacing and connecting meanspassing through said second flat surface and engaging said element forspacing said gib from and connecting it to said element respectively,and abutting means adjustably mounted in said element and abutting saidfirst mentioned flat surface for taking up forces acting transverse tothe line of action of said spacing and connecting means during relativesliding movement of said gibs and said guiding means.

PAUL E. FLOWERS.

